Back Road Bites: A Flavor Trail with Alabama Black Belt Adventures as Your Guide Pt. 3

Last Updated 6/25/2025 • Posted in Featured

Half Shell Oyster Bar & Grill - Troy, Alabama

Since 1990, The Half Shell has been feeding Troy’s locals, college students, and game-day crowds with fried shrimp, oysters, and Gulf Coast flavor in a no-frills, all-heart setting. For those who’ve ever called Troy home, it’s more than a restaurant — it’s a memory.

Under new ownership but still rocking the same laid-back vibe, The Half Shell continues to serve its fan-favorite staples, including the Mahi Tacos — blackened, topped with slaw, and loaded with flavor in every bite. Whether you’re catching up with old friends or grabbing dinner before kickoff, the tacos deliver every time.

Not in a taco mood? Try the oyster sampler, the Mahi Mahi sandwich, or anything bacon-wrapped — and stay for the casual, come-as-you-are feel that’s made this spot a local institution for nearly 30 years.

SweetCreek Farm Market - Pike Road, Alabama

Part farm stand, part lunch spot, and all kinds of charming, SweetCreek Farm Market is the kind of place where you come for a sandwich and leave with a basket of goodies, a full belly, and probably a few new friends. Set just off the highway in Pike Road, it’s a must-stop for travelers craving fresh, real food in a down-home setting.

The Cuban sandwich is a standout — perfectly pressed, smoky, and tangy with all the right layers — and don’t even think about skipping dessert. Their kitchen sink cookies are gooey, loaded with sweet and salty goodness, and worth the trip all on their own. From pulled pork and smoked chicken to cobblers and farm-fresh finds, everything here feels like it came straight from someone’s family cookbook.

Grab a rocking chair, let the kids check out the goats and chickens, and enjoy a bite of Pike Road life

Pia's Famous Chicken Salad - Butler, Alabama

There’s chicken salad... and then there’s Pia’s. This Butler institution serves up a secret-recipe chicken salad that locals swear by — creamy, savory, and utterly addictive. It’s the heart of the Pia’s Perfect Trifecta: chicken salad, their signature pimento-less cheese, and something sweet on the side.

Pro tip: Swap out the crackers for cucumber slices and say you’re keeping it light — just long enough to make room for the Purple Stuff ( or its just-as-delicious cousin). No one really knows what’s in it, and no one really cares. It’s cold, creamy, and iconic.

The chicken salad’s so beloved, people bring coolers to stock up and take it home — and honestly, you should too.

Orrville Farmers Market - Orrville, Alabama

Off the beaten path but full of flavor, Orrville Farmers Market is one of those places that captures everything we love about Alabama’s back roads: great food, local goods, and community spirit. Step inside and you’ll find a bustling kitchen serving up country-style breakfasts, meat-and-three lunches, and on Fridays? It’s all about the catfish. Crispy, golden, and served with all the Southern fixin’s, Catfish Friday is the kind of weekly ritual that folks plan their errands around.

The market is also a goldmine of Alabama-made treats — think Butter Toffee Peanuts, Stone Ground Grits, and the wildly popular Slice Queen cake slices that sell out fast. Grab a gift, stock your pantry, or just slow down and enjoy a homemade meal that tastes like it came out of your grandmother’s kitchen.

Diamond Jim's & Mrs. Donna's - Livingston, Alabama

If you’re in search of the perfect steak, follow the back roads to Livingston — and straight to the door of Diamond Jim’s & Mrs. Donna’s, home of the famous ribeye that put them on the map. Tender, juicy, and grilled to perfection, Jim’s Ribeye is the stuff of Alabama legend. It’s the reason this small-town spot has earned multiple wins in the Alabama Cattlemen’s Best Beef competition, and it’s one of those rare steaks you’ll compare everything else to from now on.

But the magic doesn’t stop there. Every plate is served with fresh, hand-cut fries — never frozen — and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll save room for dessert. Bet’s original caramel cake is as Southern as it gets: moist, buttery, and absolutely worth writing home about.

5&Dime - Selma, Alabama

In downtown Selma, tucked inside a lovingly restored Woolworth’s building, 5&Dime isn’t just a place to grab lunch — it’s a place to slow down, look around, and really be in the moment. Part café, part community space, part art gallery, it’s as much about connection as it is about food.

The menu changes daily — a little something called “What Allen’s Having for Dinner” — with rotating favorites like roasted veggie frittatas, lettuce wraps, meatball subs, and warm soups that feel like home. Then there are plates like the one pictured here: vibrant citrus slices, tender scoops of savory pimento cheese and egg salad, fresh greens, and edible flowers that make you stop and smile. It’s a meal made with care, color, and intention — just like everything else at 5&Dime.

Owner AC Reeves says it best on the sign by the door:

“The intent for this place is to share — space, meals, stories, information — and to welcome our visitors... with dignity, kindness, humor, empathy... and especially love. All are welcome. But if you act like a jerk, we may have to love you from afar.”

That’s 5&Dime in a nutshell — real food, real people, and real Selma.

Presented by Alabama Black Belt Adventures

This curated collection of restaurants, farmers markets, and unforgettable food stops is proudly brought to you by Alabama Black Belt Adventures.

The Black Belt is more than a region — it’s a rich tapestry of history, hospitality, art, food, and outdoor adventure. From scenic trails and rivers to the soulful flavors found in kitchens across 23 counties, this is a place where culture runs deep and every meal tells a story.

Come hungry. Leave inspired.

By: Kelly Caldwell